Ma Qinghua delivered a perfect drive to clinch a historic maiden victory for the Geely Preface TCR.

Geely Group Motorsport has started its new era of global motorsport era with a historic win at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Driving the all-new Geely Preface TCR in just its first race weekend, Ma Qinghua delivered a sensational win in Race 2.

Thed Björk joined his teammate on the podium in Race 2, while reigning Kumho FIA TCR World Tour champion Yann Ehrlacher finished third in Race 1. This weekend marks a significant achievement for the brand on the global motorsport stage.

Race 2: Ma delivers Geely’s first victory in stunning style

Starting from third on the grid, Ma launched off the line quickly and overtook fast-starting Aurélien Comte to climb into second place. The opening laps featured a frantic battle for the race lead. On lap two, Ma made a bold move for the lead, briefly taking the position before a fierce counterattack temporarily shuffled him back to third.

The defining moment came on lap six, when Ma executed a decisive move to seize the lead from Honda driver Jenson Brickley. Once in control of the race, Ma was able to build a comfortable lead over eventual runner-up Mikel Azcona’s Hyundai Elantra N EV TCR.

While Azcona was able to close the gap in the closing phase of the race, Ma managed the gap until the chequered flag to secure a monumental victory for Geely Motorsport Group.

Adding to the celebrations, Thed Björk fought from sixth to finish third, showcasing his immense racecraft and the Geely Preface TCR’s agility in close battles.

Race 1: Historic first podium for Geely Preface TCR

The brand-new Geely Preface TCR made an immediate impact on the global stage with defending Kumho FIA TCR World Tour champion Yann Ehrlacher securing a historic first podium for Geely in Race 1 at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Starting from third on the grid, the French driver remained in contention throughout the 15-lap season opener. After a flawless drive, the reigning champion crossed the finish line in third, just 1.7 seconds behind the race winner.

Chen Jun, Director of Geely Group Motorsport

“To see Ma Qinghua victorious with the all-new Geely Preface TCR during its debut weekend is a truly historic moment. It is the proud moment for Chinese automotive brands, and the pride of the Chinese people. We will continue to push forward and compete on the world stage and showcase ‘Chinese speed’ on the world stage.”

Ma Qinghua, Driver, Car #155

“I am immensely happy to have clinched the first victory for Geely. This is a fantastic start for the new Geely Preface TCR. To see this car not just fight for podiums, but win a race on its debut weekend, is a phenomenal achievement. As a Chinese driver, it was a proud moment to see the national flag being raised and hear the national anthem on the podium. Thank you to Geely and thank you to the team, let’s keep up this momentum.”

Thed Björk, Driver, Car #111

“We are so proud that the new Geely Preface TCR is competitive right from the beginning and having no technical issues all weekend is a massive achievement. Celebrating Ma’s victory was fantastic. I was very happy to share the podium with him. Having done a lot of the testing for this car, I am incredibly proud of the team and the work we’ve put together. Obviously, we have more work to do, we always want to go faster, but this is a very strong base to build on.”

Santiago Urrutia, Driver, Car #181

“We secured good points for the championship in what was a very strong weekend. Huge congratulations to Ma and the team for winning the race. Seeing Geely's first victory go to a Chinese driver is fantastic. We started the season on the right foot, but with hotter, tougher races coming up at Valencia, Paul Ricard, and Vila Real, we need to keep pushing and preparing for the heat.”

Yann Ehrlacher, Driver, Car #168

“This was the first event for the Geely Preface TCR together with Cyan Racing, and we are quite happy with how it went. We would have signed for this result before the event. I am very happy that Ma won. It is very important to motivate and reward all the people involved in the project in China and in Europe. I am also very happy with the job my teammates have done developing the car while I had issues with my shoulder. I am proud to be part of this family for over seven years. We are only at the start of the development, so we will keep digging and keep working to make the Geely Preface TCR even better.”

END